The Daily Brief — July 9, 2026
Trump has to pay, Platner withdraws, another ICE killing
These are today’s top stories, delivered straight to your inbox. Catch up here on all the news.
Trump Must Pay $5M
Yesterday, a federal judge ordered that $5.8 million be released to E. Jean Carroll — the amount awarded to her in 2023 by a jury that found Donald Trump liable for sexually assaulting her in the 1990s. The money has been sitting in a court-controlled account while Trump appealed.
Carroll sued Trump for the assault and defamation after Trump called her account of the assault a “hoax” when she went public in 2019. The original $5 million award grew because of accrued interest over three years.
Trump appealed the verdict to the US Supreme Court after it was repeatedly upheld by lower courts, and last month the Court declined to hear his case.
Trump’s lawyers asked the Supreme Court to reconsider yesterday, and wanted the lower court judge to continue to keep the $5.8 million frozen. But Judge Lewis Kaplan rejected the delay, and a court of appeals agreed.
Platner Ends Senate Campaign
Democrat Graham Platner ended his Senate campaign yesterday after a former girlfriend publicly accused him of raping her in 2021. In an 11-minute video, Platner denied the allegation as “false” and blamed “corporate media” and the “political establishment,” saying pressure from Democratic leaders had made it impossible to keep raising money or running a functioning campaign. He said he wasn’t dropping out because of the allegations themselves.
The rape accusation followed earlier allegations from former girlfriends of Platner who said he was intimidating and erratic.
The Maine Democratic Party has until July 27 to pick a new nominee. Yesterday, state party leaders approved plans for a 600-person nominating convention.
Former Judge Avoids Prison
A federal judge spared a former Milwaukee County judge prison time yesterday, fining her $5,000 instead, for helping a defendant evade ICE agents outside her courtroom last year.
County judge Hannah Dugan was convicted in December of felony charges for obstructing immigration removal proceedings in her court.
She was accused of directing federal agents to the chief judge’s office, then leading defendant Eduardo Flores-Ruiz out a private hallway in April 2025. Flores-Ruiz was arrested by ICE shortly thereafter.
At her sentencing hearing yesterday, where she could have received up to five years in prison, Dugan told the court her actions were meant to preserve the “decorum and safety of the courtroom,” not to help the defendant escape arrest.
Federal judge Lynn Adelman ordered Dugan to pay $5,000 in fines, citing Dugan’s long record of public service and lack of a prior criminal record. Dugan resigned her judgeship in January.
Newsbreak
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Family Demands Independent Probe
The son of a Houston construction-business owner killed by an ICE agent this week is calling for an independent investigation, disputing the agency’s account of the killing. Ronaldo Salgado said his father, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, 52, was on his way to pick up his work crew earlier this week when an ICE agent shot him during a traffic stop. He died at the hospital.
ICE says Araujo rammed an agency vehicle and tried to run over an officer, who fired in self-defense. Salgado said his father had lived in the US for nearly 35 years, had no criminal record, and was in the process of applying for a work permit.
He said his father was likely scared because the vehicles following him were unmarked, and may have been worried the people were trying to steal the tools he needed for his work. Had his father “seen an emblem of ICE, or an emblem that says anything about a law enforcement agency,” Salgado said, he would have complied and stopped his car.
The shooting is under investigation by the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general.
Erika Kirk Wants Evidence to Be Public
Tyler Robinson, the man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk, reportedly expressed regret after the attack to his partner, according to a recorded police interview that was presented in court today. The partner, Lance Twiggs, told the police during the interview that Robinson told him he wished “he hadn’t done it.”
Twiggs was granted immunity in exchange for his statement.
Meanwhile, Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, asked the judge to make all evidence in the case public. In her motion to the judge, she said a public display of evidence was necessary to prevent conspiracy theories about her husband’s death.
Judge Tony Graf is conducting a weeklong preliminary hearing in Provo, UT, to determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence against Robinson for him to stand trial. He’s been charged with aggravated murder, and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
Kennedy Center
A federal appeals court rejected President Trump’s bid yesterday to restore his name to the Kennedy Center while he appeals a lower court’s order requiring its removal. This is the second time the court has turned down that request.
The judges said Trump and the Kennedy Center’s board, whom he appointed, failed to show he would suffer “irreparable harm” without his name on the building, since it was already removed from the façade last month.
The board had voted in December to add Trump’s name, but Rep. Joyce Beatty, a Democrat and ex officio board member, sued. A judge ordered the name’s removal in May, ruling that only Congress can rename the center.
US, Iran Trade New Strikes
The US struck Iran again early today, hours after Iran attacked commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command said it struck 90 targets in Iran, including what appeared to be an airport runway and missile launchers. The US military said the strikes aimed to stop Iran from threatening shipping in the strait, where it has tried to control which vessels pass.
Iran’s health ministry said the two days of American strikes had killed at least 14 people and wounded 78, mostly members of the country’s armed forces.
Trump asserted that the ceasefire agreement is over, saying, “I don’t want to deal with them…They’re liars, they’re cheats, they’re sick people.”
Trump Swaps Planes
President Trump left this week’s NATO summit on an older Air Force One plane rather than the new Qatari-donated Boeing 747-8 at the Secret Service’s recommendation.
According to The New York Times, officials said that the newer plane lacks some of the older jet’s defense capabilities and the switch was a precaution against a potential threat from Iran rather than a response to a specific threat.
The killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo by ICE agents is horrible and heartbreaking. 💔